US Air Force B-1B bombers integrate with Royal Australian Air Force JTACS

US Air Force B-1B Lancers conducted two separate integration training missions with Royal Australian Air Force Joint Terminal Attack Controllers.

The activity was part of Exercise Talisman Saber 17 at Shoalwater Field Training Area, Australia.

According to a press release:

“Talisman Saber is a biennial, combined U.S. and Australian training exercise designed to train respective military forces in planning and conducting combined task force operations to improve the combat readiness and interoperability between U.S. and Australian forces.

The 12.5-hour sorties were comprised of two B-1Bs each and flown as part of U.S. Pacific Command’s Continuous Bomber Presence mission, which has operated in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region since 2004.”

Maj. Gen. Russ Mack, the Pacific Air Forces vice commander said:

“The Australian and U.S. air forces continue to pursue our shared commitment to safeguarding regional security and stability with missions and exercises like Continuous Bomber Presence and Talisman Saber.

Exercising and validating our ability to train and operate seamlessly together ensures our ability to collectively respond to any crisis or contingency.”

Royal Australian Air Force Air Commodore Joe Iervasi, the Air Warfare Centre commander said:

“Conducting training with our American counterparts on a tactical level is integral to ensuring that together we remain combat ready.

This exercise, and others like it, demonstrate our commitment to continuing to hone our skills as a combined force.”